Changes
by laurah2215
Summary: Pairing: CJ/Danny; Series: The Unplanned Blessing; Story # 2;The kids face some tough challenges.


Title: Changes

Title: Changes  
Series: The Unplanned Blessing  
Author: Laura H  
Rating: Teen to Adult. Forewarning: There will be discussion-not  
description- of consensual teenage pre-marital sex. Please don't read  
if you feel you will be offended in any way.  
Disclaimer: We've been doing this long enough that you know I'm not  
making a penny.  
Synopsis: The families adjust to the pregnancy and plan a wedding.  
Notes: Should be studying for exams, am procrastinating  
instead.Absolutely crazy week because my sister had a baby and I  
rushed to see her and my new nephew in between exams. So apologies in  
getting this story out but more important things take precendence.  
There may be more next week depending on how much procrastinating I do.  
Timeline:  
March 2025: Story 1- The Weight of the World; Story 2- Changes

"Of course. Thank you, Mrs. Ulbrich…No, I'll inform my husband. We'll  
see you at 3:30, then. Bye." CJ sets her phone down on the receiver  
and leans back into the chair at her desk in her office. She picks it  
back up and speed dials her husband's cell.

"Hey, babe," Danny's voice greets on the line.

"Hey, you in the middle of something?" CJ asks, fidgeting with the  
pen in her hands.

"I'm meeting with one of my students in ten minutes. Why?"Danny  
is shuffling through a pile of papers on his desk and CJ can hear the  
background noise.

"The headmistress called. She wants to see us at 3:30," CJ  
informs him in a sigh.

"Why?" Danny inquires.

"She wants our opinion on changing the school song," CJ states  
satirically.

"Really?" Danny asks in confusion.

"No you moron! What do you think it is? She's obviously found out  
about Abbey." CJ rubs her temple, already exhausted.

"Oh," Danny exhales. " I guess we should talk to her then."

"All right. I'll meet you there at 3:30 then. Danny? They're not  
going to be impressed. It's a highly prestigious prep school. They're  
not used to having pregnant teens in attendance." CJ can't believe  
they just sent Abbey to school to tell her friends without talking to  
the headmistress first.

"I appreciate you coming in this afternoon," Maurine Ulbrich motions  
for the Concannon's to take a seat in the two visitor chairs in front  
of her massive wooden desk as he resumes her own seat.

"I guess you know about Abbey," Danny begins awkwardly. Somehow it  
feels like he's being reprimanded in the principal's office.

The headmistress smiles with fake charm. "Yes. It's come to my  
attention through Abigail's law teacher. And I just want to say right  
from the beginning that your daughter has been a wonderful student in  
our institution the last four years, which is why we want to do what's  
best for her now. The faculty have always been impressed with her  
academic aptitude and her enthusiasm in school clubs and sports.  
Everyone thinks highly of her. So we feel that perhaps we should now  
find her a more appropriate place to finish her diploma for the next  
few months."

"What do you mean?" CJ asks in surprise. "She only has less than  
four months left here, why would we want to send her to someplace else?"

Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Ulbrich plasters on another artificial  
smile."Well, as you're quite aware, I run a highly esteemed  
preparatory academy. Abernathy Prep is the first choice for high  
schools amongst parents in the Greater Los Angeles Area and beyond."

"Yes, that's why we chose to send our children here," CJ states  
obviously.

"Yes. And we feel that your daughter's continued presence here  
will cause a lot of our board members, not to mention the parents of  
the children in attendance, significant embarrassment, discomfort and  
grief. That's why we would like to strongly suggest she look for  
alternative methods to finish her diploma." The headmistress stares  
coolly at the stunned parents.

"You're kidding, right? This is unbelievable. You're kicking our  
daughter out of school because she's pregnant? That's ludicrous. She  
hasn't violated any school rules or misconduct." Danny is indignant.

The headmistress is plagued with obvious discomfort. "Well, she has  
significantly undermined the reputation of the school and tarnished  
its image through her misbehaviour. That's enough to expel her."

"Oh you've got to be out of your mind!" CJ shouts, livid that this  
woman would sit there and tell them this about their daughter. "She's  
a straight A student. She's on two sports teams and two clubs. She's  
done nothing but be an exemplary model of excellence."

"Until now," Mrs. Ulbrich retorts. "Now she's an embarrassment  
that we do not believe is a model of exemplary behaviour for the rest  
of the female students."

"And what about the boy who made her an embarrassment? Are you  
going to try to expel Noah Lyman as well?" CJ can't believe this  
highly educated woman could be so intolerant.

Sighing, Mrs. Ulbrich shrugs. "This isn't his fault. We don't  
want to lose him or any of the Lyman children as students. Besides,  
you know that boys will boys."

"Boys will be boys? That's it. We're not going to sit here and  
let you degrade our daughter like this. Come on, CJ." Danny  
practically jumps out of his seat.

"Mr. Concannon, please understand that I will be under terrible  
pressure from our financial contributors and the board of trustees to  
expel Abigail." The headmistresses rises to match Danny's height.

"That's bull shit," CJ spits. "We're significant financial  
contributors and we have loyal ties to most of the members of your  
board. If you kick Abbey out of school then we'll remove our son and  
encourage all of the parents we know to do the same with their  
children. If you show our daughter the door then we'll suggest the  
board do the same to you. Let me make it very clear: If you force our  
daughter out, then we'll force you out of your job."

Abbey glances up from her notebook and finds her parents  
motioning to her from the small window in the classroom door. She and  
Noah are in the middle of their Model U.N. debate but are being called  
out by her parents in the hallway.

"Excuse me Mr. Chairman. Sorry, Oliver. Noah and I have to leave  
now. I'm sorry and please continue your statement." Abbey retrieves  
her school bag from the back of her chair and she and Noah quietly  
file out of the room.

•  
"I'm sorry we pulled you out of your club meeting early," CJ  
apologies as she grabs the container of lemonade in the fridge and  
retrieves glass from the cupboard.

"It's all right. But what was so important?" Abbey pulls up a  
stool to the counter and motions for Noah to follow her lead.

"Danny, can you cut up some apple and pineapple?" CJ hands Abbey  
and Noah two glasses of lemonade then commences pouring some for  
herself and Danny. "Honey, we met with Mrs. Ulbrich. She wants to  
expel you for being pregnant."

"What? They can't do that, can they?" Noah looks stunned and angry.

"No, but we have a plan. And if our plan doesn't work then we'll  
have one hell of a lawsuit in the making," Danny adds with spite as he  
cuts up some fruit.

"I can't believe this. This is a nightmare." Abbey drops her head  
down to the counter in grief.

CJ sits on the opposite side of the counter. "Don't worry, honey.  
We're not going to tolerate the headmistress treating you like this.  
We told her in unequivocal terms that if she pursued the expulsion  
then we would have her job. We'll pull Pat out of school and encourage  
all the other parents to do the same. And tonight I'm calling all the  
board members I know and more than suggesting that they show Mrs.  
Ulbrich the door."

"Oh my God," Abbey grumbles." Everyone's going to hate me and  
call me a big whore."

"No they won't," Noah assures her. "I won't let them treat you  
like dirt. We're getting married and having a baby; that's not  
something to be ashamed of."

"That's right, sweetie. These things happen in life and that  
institution that we've given so much money to over the last four years  
will just have to accept that." Danny sets a plate of mixed fruit onto  
the counter.

Abbey shakes her head firmly as she chews a piece of pineapple.  
"You can't pull PJ out of school. I know we fight a lot and I give him  
a hard time, but he's my little brother and I don't want this for him.  
It took him so long to adjust to the social setting of high school and  
I don't want him to have to switch schools after all that."

"I know, honey. And we don't want to, either." CJ frowns in  
obvious distress. She doesn't want Pat to have to transfer, either.  
"Well hopefully once I talk to the board members nobody will have to  
leave school. But it's important that we gather support and solidarity  
to show the headmistress and the board of trustees that this kind of  
treatment is unacceptable."

"Well Ella and I can drop out of school, as well," Noah offers as  
he swallows a grape. "But what if it doesn't work?"

CJ shares a look with Danny sitting on a stool next to her.  
"We'll cross that bridge if we have to come to it. But I'm thinking  
the school won't want a lawsuit from us."

Abbey shakes her head solemnly. She can't believe her getting  
pregnant means so much disruption for the school and their families.

"Good news!" CJ enters the den where the kids are watching T.V.  
later that night. "I talked to Linda Callhoun, Jake Goldstein, Marie  
Baxter and Tom Harold from the board of trustees. They told us to sit  
still and not pull any students out of school. They're bombarding Mrs.  
Ulbrich with phone calls tonight demanding that she doesn't kick Abbey  
out of school, and if she refuses then they'll fire her ass."

"That's great, darling," Danny responds with a slight smile from  
his armchair, glad that they won't have to go through all the drama of  
pulling the kids out of school or pursuing a lawsuit.

"Just grand," Abbey spits in spite.

"Why aren't you glad?" Pat asks from the loveseat.

"I'm going to go back to school tomorrow and find out Mrs.  
Ulbrich was fired because she tried to kick me out of school. Somehow  
I don't think that'll make me the most popular person in the school."  
Abbey is bitter and pissed off. She had no idea this whole mess would  
play out this way.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Once the board talks to her, she will  
have to concede because she won't want to lose her job. So I'm sure  
there won't be anything unusual going on at school tomorrow. No one  
will have to know that the headmistress tried to expel you. This is  
the ideal situation." CJ sits on Abbey's right side on the couch and  
wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"Everything is just changing so fast," Abbey admits with heavy  
lids. "Mrs. Horack thinks I should quit gymnastics so I don't risk  
hurting the baby if I fall. My law teacher was supportive and offered  
to help, but I could tell she was disappointed to hear I wouldn't be  
going to Georgetown."

"You've got a lot of changes in your future," CJ agrees. "But you  
and Noah are both strong and we think you'll be able to cope with it  
all. Just try to take it in stride."

"I'm so relieved Mrs. Ulbrich decided to let Abbey stay at  
school," CJ tells Danny as they get ready for bed in their en-suite  
bathroom.

Spitting out the last of the toothpaste in his mouth, Danny nods.  
"Yeah, me too. The kids really didn't need that."

"Yeah, and it would have been terrible for us to transfer PJ to a  
new school." CJ runs a cloth across her face. "This whole thing is  
more complicated than I thought. They've got so many challenges ahead."

"Do you think they'll be able to handle it all? I mean, I think  
we're forgetting they're only seventeen." Danny runs a comb through  
his greying hair.

"I don't know. It's hard enough for us to tell our friends and  
family without being judged as bad parents. We're having a difficult  
time coping with all this, and I imagine no matter how hard it is on  
us, it'll be ten times worse for them, especially Abbey. And they  
don't have the benefits of age and experience. There's a tremendous  
amount of pressure on them." CJ slips into a white nightgown and makes  
her way toward the bed.

"Yeah, but they have to know how hard this will be from the  
beginning. It'll make them better prepared to deal with everything in  
the coming months."

"You coming to the game tonight?" Noah asks of Abbey on Thursday  
as they sit in the den doing homework after school.

Abbey can't help but grimace. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Is everything okay?" Noah inquires tentatively, passing Abbey  
the bowl of grapes.

"Yeah, it's fine. Mom said you could start moving your stuff in  
this weekend so we won't have to worry about it after the wedding."  
Abbey munches on the grapes and fights back nausea. The last couple  
days her morning sickness has been extending into the evenings.

"Okay. Can you believe we're getting married in ten days?" Noah  
shakes his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe it's only been eight days since our entire lives  
have been thrown upside down. It's just been a whirlwind of changes  
from planning the wedding, going to dress fittings, picking out  
tuxedos, reading pregnancy books, figuring out where we're going to  
school in September." Abbey trails off, suddenly very fatigued and  
nauseated thinking about it all.

"Take a deep breath," Noah suggests, holding Abbey's arm comfortingly.

"Did I tell you I got kicked off the girls basketball team  
today?" Abbey knows she'll eventually have to tell Noah before he  
notices her not attending games and practices.

"They kicked you off?" Noah asks in surprise.

Abbey frowns. "Well, not formally. But my coach said I shouldn't  
risk hurting the baby. Everybody is treating me like some fragile  
invalid. I may be vomiting a lot, but it's not like the baby is going  
to suddenly explode because I move too fast."

"Everyone's just concerned," Noah offers sympathetically.

"Well now I've got nothing to do but sit around and get fat. No  
gymnastics or basketball. " Abbey is visibly discouraged and upset.

Noah draws her into a tight embrace, to which she simply sighs.  
"It's not fair. Why do I have to carry the baby?"

"Technically, because I don't have a uterus. But really, because  
you're stronger. You know if I could I would carry it for you." Noah  
grazes Abbey's cheek with his thumb. "I love you so much and hate  
everything that is happening to you."

Abbey pulls away and gives her head a shake. " Whatever. Don't  
worry about it. There's nothing you can do."

"You want something to eat, sweetheart?" Danny resumes his seat  
in the sidelines at the school gym and offers his box of popcorn to  
his daughter.

Covering her mouth, Abbey shakes her head violently. "No thanks."

"Can I go watch from down there?" Pat asks, pointing to the  
ground where Ella and Davy are watching their brother's basketball  
game up close.

"Sure, sweetie," CJ responds. She turns to Abbey who, despite  
wearing her own basketball jersey over-top of a t-shirt, isn't that  
interested in the game. "Honey, if you weren't feeling well we could  
have stayed at home."

"Nah. What kind of girl am I if I don't go to my fiance's  
basketball game?" Abbey didn't want to let Noah down. They've been  
cheering for each other at the games for three years.

CJ wraps one arm around her daughter. "Abbey, you don't have to  
put on this façade. I'm sure you're very upset that you can't play  
basketball anymore and it's probably difficult for you to watch Noah  
playing."

"Mom, why do women have to carry babies?" Abbey asks dejectedly.

"I thought we talked about that when you were eleven," CJ jests.  
"The truth is that if men were biologically responsible for  
procreation, humanity would have ended with Adam and Eve. I think God  
knew women were the stronger sex."

"Well I don't feel strong," Abbey admits solemnly. "I hate this.  
Everything is changing for me. Every time I walk down the halls at  
school kids stare at me and whisper to their friends. Everyone treats  
me differently. And I have to give up the sports I like and I can  
hardly keep down a meal anymore. But Noah's out there playing  
basketball with his friends like none of this affects him. He doesn't  
have to change at all. It's not fair"

CJ rubs her fingers around Abbey's hand soothingly. "No, it's not.  
I know it's very difficult. But things are changing for Noah. I  
overheard one of the guys on the basketball team joking because he had  
to get married at seventeen. Noah's not going to go to the school  
he's always dreamed of and he's about to move in with us. But you've  
made your decision because in the end you both know that it's right.  
It's okay to be upset, but I promise you that it'll be worth it  
someday. And don't let anyone make you feel in anyway inferior. Women  
can have it all today. Just because you're about to become a mother  
doesn't mean you can't get a good education and put yourself onto the  
path for a great career."

"I hope so. This marriage thing is gonna be hard, isn't it, Mom?"  
Abbey leans into her strongest support system.

CJ kisses Abbey's temple."Terribly hard. But you're in love and  
that'll get you through everything. Because when I see the way that  
you look at Noah and the way he looks at you, it's the same way that  
your father and I still look at each other after eighteen years of  
marriage. And believe me that if we can do it, anyone can. Your  
father promised me that we would get good at new things, and I promise  
that you will, too."

"Well, you've got a pretty good track record of being right,  
so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." Abbey manages a smirk as  
she returns her attention to the game.

•  
"Noah, you want to play Nintendo?" PJ pokes his head into Abbey's  
room Saturday afternoon.

Noah turns around from adding his books to Abbey's bookshelf and  
offers PJ a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry. I've gotta finish getting  
unpacked here. But we'll play another time, kay? I'll be living here  
soon so there will be lots of time."

Abbey tries in vain to find room in her dresser for Noah's socks.

"Okay, that's fine." PJ shrugs and walks out of the room.

Abbey throws her hands up in the air. "Noah, we're gonna need  
your dresser after all. Can you go home and get it and you and your  
dad can bring it over here?

"Sure, I'll go now." Noah exits the room just as CJ breezes into it.

"Everything okay?" CJ asks.

"I'm going to get my dresser. Abbey has a lot of clothes." Noah  
cracks a grin and dashes down the hallway.

"How's the moving coming along?" CJ inquires, surveying the boxes  
and bags littering the floor of Abbey's bedroom.

"Mom, are you sure we can't turn the office/study into a nursery?  
There's gonna be no room for the baby and both of us." Abbey exhales  
loudly, wondering how they're all going to fit.

CJ frowns and takes a seat on Abbey's bed. "I'm sorry, sweetie.  
Your father and I need that for work. If it gets really tight then we  
can move all of you downstairs into the guest suite, but I'd really  
rather not."

"Oh come on. That would be perfect. We'd even have our own  
bathroom." Whining, Abbey pleads with her mother and sports her best pout.

"You do have your own bathroom that you share with Pat. Besides,  
we really don't want to give up that suite. We have a lot of guests  
from the East coast that stay here. Just forget about it. Are your  
friends coming to the wedding next weekend?"CJ wants to make the kids  
comfortable, but there's no reason to give them any more luxury then  
they already enjoy at the expense of giving away the guest suite.

"Just Briar, Hayden, Bailey and Devin. New Hampshire's kinda  
far." Abbey begins digging through Noah's clothes.

"Don't most of your friends have private jets?" CJ teases. One of  
the concerns she and Danny had about enrolling their kids in  
Montessori and private schools was that they wouldn't get to interact  
with a variety of children. But luckily Abernathy has a diverse  
population and the kids have friends of different backgrounds and  
socioeconomic statuses.

"Oh, and the pastor is bringing Mitch and Alexia, which is great.  
So PJ will have people to talk to." Abbey shakes her head at Noah's  
messy array of clothes tossed into garbage bags.

"That's great. So we'll have the Richter's, the Bartlet's,  
Toby, Annabeth, their son Jacob, Huck, Molly, Sam and Mallory, Aunt  
Megan and your cousin Seamus- Ciara can't make it- and your uncles  
Donnie and Art and Hogan." CJ names off the guest list which they've  
pretty much limited to family and very close friends.

"Aren't you forgetting important people?" Abbey asks.

"No, I don't think so." CJ shakes her head, considering the small  
guest list.

"Us and the Lyman's!" Abbey answers obviously.

"Right, well obviously. I'm sorry honey but I'm exhausted. We've  
been planning for the wedding and the baby for the last week and a  
half and I haven't had so much as a chance to breathe. Somehow we've  
got to fit in PJ's birthday next week, as well." CJ sighs aloud,  
thinking that she's too old for all this.

"It's all right. I know it's been absolutely hectic. And I really  
am sorry."Abbey collapses onto the bed beside her mom.

"Honey, we've gotta talk now," CJ tells Abbey seriously. "In a  
week you're going to be married and living here with Noah. We need to  
have some ground rules to make everything go smoothly."

"Like not putting empty milk jugs back in the fridge and doing  
our chores?" Abbey guesses.

CJ locks eyes with her daughter. "No, I mean like not discussing  
sex around your brother and keeping quiet and modest in the bedroom.  
It's important that you and Noah don't do anything that would make PJ  
uncomfortable…or your father and I for that matter. He goes  
absolutely mental at the thought of you having sex, so don't make us  
think about it. I know that sex is important for marital relations we  
want to make sure you and Noah have a healthy marriage. But you're  
also still seventeen and living with your parents and younger brother.  
So please just keep that in mind."

Abbey's cheeks are tinged red. "Okay, that's fine. We'll  
be…courteous," Abbey agrees. Truthfully she doesn't know how they'll  
get comfortable enough knowing that her family is just down the hall  
to want to have sex. But, they've only done it once so things will  
likely change. She is incredibly close to her mother and she always  
felt free to ask her questions about sex, but Abbey doesn't imagine  
she would want to discuss intimate details of her sex life with her  
girlfriends, let alone her mother.

•  
"What do you think?" Abbey steps back and appreciates the newly  
decorated room with Noah's possessions. Some of his favourite posters  
plaster the walls and his treasured trophies stand next to hers on  
shelves. It's Sunday evening and they've managed to move most of the  
things Noah wants into her room.

"I'm glad your walls are light brown and your comforter turquoise  
or I would totally feel like I was living in a girl's room." Noah  
laughs lightly as he draws Abbey in for a hug. "Do we have to have the  
stuffed animals in the bed?"

"Well get over it cause this is a girl's room. But it's also  
yours now so I want you to be comfortable in it. I guess my stuffed  
animals can go on a shelf." Abbey perches on the end of the bed and  
motions with one finger for Noah to join her. "Wanna test out the bed?"

Grinning insanely, Noah jumps onto the bed and begins sucking on  
Abbey's bottom lip.

Pat throws the door open in haste and pops into the room. "Ewww,  
gross."

"PJ! What happened to knocking?" Abbey disentangles herself from  
Noah's hold.

"Sorry, but you've gotta come downstairs quick. Josh and Donna  
have a huge surprise for you!" PJ dashes out of the room as fast he  
burst into it.

Shrugging, Noah steps off the bed and leads Abbey out of the  
room. They race down the hallway and descend the stairs in a rush to  
the foyer where the four parents are gathered.

"What's going on?" Noah asks of the group when they reach the  
bottom step.

"We got you a wedding present," Donna reveals excitedly.

"Come outside!" Josh instructs in a hurry, throwing the front  
door open so everyone can file outside.

Abbey and Noah share a look of wonder but do as they are  
commanded. Waiting in the driveway is a brand new red Audi that they  
don't recognize as belonging to anyone.

"Oh my God! You got us a car?" Noah's eyes dilate in shock and  
amazement.

"A very safe car for driving the baby," Donna confirms with a grin.

"And it's all red and cool looking and… stuff," Josh adds. He had  
researched cars for days but automobiles aren't his forte. An  
insurance broker friend of his had assured Josh that the car was  
incredibly safe and his children and grandchild would be safe in it,  
and that's all he cared about.

Noah runs his hand along the driver's door in absolute delight.  
"Oh my God. It's incredible."

"I can't believe this! This is so huge. Thank you so much." Abbey  
throws her arms and around Josh and Donna.

"Well we figured you'd be saving us a lot of money going to  
U.C.L.A, even with the Harvard scholarship, so we could get you a  
great car to carry your family around. Here, you want to take it for  
a ride?" Josh extends the keys in his hands to Noah.

Noah can't wipe his smile off. He quickly gives his father a big  
hug and accepts the keys. "Thanks a lot. This is amazing."

"You're welcome, son. You and Abbey deserve it." Josh squeezes  
Noah's shoulder affectionately, still in disbelief that his son is  
growing into a man with his blossoming family and starting college.

"That's an incredible wedding gift," CJ acknowledges.

"Come on, honey," Noah encourages as he opens the door and  
motions for Abbey to slide into the driver's seat.

"No, you should drive first. I'll get in the other side." Abbey  
runs around the front of the car and slips into the passenger seat  
while Noah drops into the driver's seat and starts the ignition.

"This is so cool. I thought I wouldn't have a car until after  
college."Noah backs out of the driveway and manoeuvres the vehicle out  
onto the street.

Abbey has a permanent smile as they test drive the car. After  
about five minutes of enjoying their new wedding gift, Noah returns  
them back to the Concannon's driveway and puts the car in park. They  
hop out of the car and excitedly rush to Donna and Josh and thank them  
again.

"You know, Dad, I'm gonna be sixteen in a few days…" Pat begins  
hinting.

"Forget about it," Danny replies simply. "You'll have to get  
married at seventeen if you want us to buy you a car."

CJ lightly smacks her husband's head. "Danny! Don't even suggest  
that."

Everyone is laughing as they stand in the driveway. Abbey walks  
up to Danny and wraps her arms around her father's torso.

"Did you get us a wedding present, Daddy?" Abbey asks.

"Yeah. We're letting you get married and continue to live with us  
instead of tossing you out," Danny grumbles. While he thinks the car  
is a wonderful gift, he's a little jealous that now the kids will  
think Josh and Donna support them more than he and CJ do. Seventeen  
year-olds don't usually recognize the behind the scenes love and  
support they are offered, but they can certainly appreciate a new car.

CJ refrains from hitting Danny again, understanding that he feels  
over-shadowed by the Lyman's generosity. "What your father means is  
we're giving you the love and support you'll need in the next couple  
years. And we talked about giving you a little honeymoon in Hawaii if  
you'd like that."

"A honeymoon! That's awesome. Thanks, Daddy." Abbey hugs Danny  
again, thinking that they've been so busy planning the wedding part  
that they hadn't considered a honeymoon.

"Can we please not call it a honeymoon?" Danny requests  
painfully, not wanting to imagine the post-wedding bliss.

"Well it's not a new car, but it'll probably be the only vacation  
you'll have for a long time and a chance to be together without the  
responsibility of a child. It'll probably be a couple years before you  
can leave the baby with us and take a holiday," CJ explains the  
reasoning further.

"That's great, CJ. Thank you very much," Noah articulates his  
gratitude, trying hard not to imagine what it would like to be alone  
with Abbey for days on end without any adults looking over their  
shoulders.

"You guys are very lucky," Donna points out to her son. "But we  
should get back to the house. It's getting late and it's a school day  
tomorrow."

"We go from honeymoons to school days. I think I need to lie  
down." Danny makes his way onto the porch, needing to get away from  
all this marriage talk. He realizes it's the best scenario for the  
kids, but it's still hard for Danny to accept that his daughter is  
truly turning into a woman. There has been so many changes occurring  
in the last week and a half that sometimes it just makes him dizzy to  
think about. Somehow he's going to have to get prepared quickly for  
this next phase in their lives.


End file.
